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Blackhawks host Flames in first playoff game since 2002

CHICAGO (AP) -- A parking lot now sits where the "Madhouse onMadison" once rested, the venerable Chicago Stadium and it'searsplitting confines. It's where Mike Keenan once roamed behindthe Blackhawks' bench.

His stint as coach from 1988-92 produced 60 playoff games, 33postseason victories and a trip to the Stanley Cup finals in1992.

"We had a pretty good run there, 60 playoff games in four years.You couldn't get a seat in the building and I think they'vebrought that back to life," Keenan said this week.

A man who has seemingly toured the NHL filling vacancies, Keenancomes back to Chicago for Thursday night's Game 1 of theopening-round playoff series as coach of the Calgary Flames.

And hockey has also returned in Chicago. Two years ago theUnited Center could be half-empty, but now after a completemakeover by owner Rocky Wirtz and the infusion of young players,the Blackhawks are a big draw again. And they're back in theplayoffs for the first time in seven years.

"There is standing room only," Keenan said. "It's fun for theplayers on both teams to be involved in that kind ofatmosphere."

The Blackhawks swept the Flames in four meetings during theregular season, winning by a combined 19-7 score. But the teamshaven't played since early February, perhaps making thathead-to-head a little less telling.

"Not to say we don't respect them. We respect their ability,yes," Keenan said. "At the same time the teams have changed andthe circumstances have changed."

The Flames added center Olli Jokinen and defenseman JordanLeopold since the teams last met. And Calgary, which flamed outdown the stretch and lost a chance to win the Northwest Divisiontitle by finishing 7-11, will be healthier with the return ofleft wing Ren?? Bourqe and All-Star defenseman Dion Phaneuf frominjuries.

The less experienced Blackhawks, by contrast, closed with arush, going 6-0-1 in their final seven games of a turnaroundseason that featured the scoring of Martin Havlat and20-year-old captain Jonathan Toews and the solid goaltending ofveteran Nikolai Khabibulin. Khabibulin has a career 22-5-2regular-season record against the Flames and also was in goalwhen Tampa Bay beat Calgary to win the Stanley Cup in 2004.

Calgary goalie Miikka Kiprusoff won 45 games this season and hada 2.84 GAA. His matchup with Khabibulin will be a key in theseries, as will Chicago's ability to contain Flames star JaromeIginla, who had 89 points.

"He's one of those guys who is hard to defend in all situationsevery second he's on the ice," Chicago coach Joel Quennevillesaid Wednesday after practice.

Keeping Iginla in check could be an assignment that falls toSammy Pahlsson, one of the Blackhawks' late-season acquisitions,who played on a Stanley Cup winner in Anaheim and has 64 gamesof postseason experience.

Dealing with Chicago's speed will be a challenge for the Flames,who will also need to turn up their power play if they hope tosteal one of the first two games Chicago. Over the final 10games, Calgary was 0-for-43 on the power play.

Game 2 will be played Saturday night in Chicago before thebest-of-seven series switches to the Pengrowth Saddledome --another noisy venue -- for Game 3 on Monday and Game 4 onWednesday.

Quenneville, who took over four games into the season afterDenis Savard was fired, has brought structure, experience andtougher defense to the Hawks, who won 22 road games this seasonto tie a franchise record.

Quenneville knows the Flames will test his young team with aphysical approach.

"We've got to expect them to come at us that way. We have torespond in- kind," he said.

"At the same time, we have to be smart at how we approach it. Wewant to stay out of the penalty box, but a the same time thephysical part of the game is something we don't mind as well. "